To think this cat sitting is a bit much to ask

[Italiawithflair]

Ndn is going on holiday in June. We have previously cat sat for her which only involved going over 1x per day to check that the food machine had dispensed of the cat's dry food. This was no bother and I happily did this for the two weeks she was away.

So ndn came over a couple of days ago and asked if I could cat sit again as she was going away on holiday this week. I thought this was rather short notice (4 days before she goes away) but said yes immediately as I like to help out.

Yesterday she came to tell me that the cat now only eats wet food and that I will have to go over twice a day, morning and evening to actually give the cat food rather than just checking that there is food I the bowl. This involved washing the cat bowl and opening the can with yucky content and Will take much longer than what I thought I signed up for. I am a bit miffed that this is more committed net than what I had in mind.

Is she bu to expect this sort of service without flagging it before and without telling me what's involved?

I will do it this time but please tell me how to decline politely in the future.

[Sparklingbrook]

SparklingCat loves the cattery and the owners who spoil her rotten. I know people with cats that really really don't but the owners put them in because they are safe, and fed and cared for when they are on holiday.

Cattery is open all day and I have often been down unannounced. All the cats are generally asleep or watching what's going on in the garden and all look very content.

[Gabilan]

My two were feral until last November. One of them I can pick up, the other one would have to be trapped just to get her in a carrier to even get her into a cattery. I can't imagine how stressed they would both be if I took them to a cattery. Grey Cat is getting tamer and will now let me stroke her, which might not sound like a big deal but it is. I don't often go away but when I do, it really is just easier for a friend or neighbour to feed them. Whether they can check them depends on who it is. One set of neighbours are apparently cat-approved, the others aren't.

It really does depend on circumstances and whether your pet is more people-oriented so would prefer a cattery or more territorial and would prefer to stay at home and be fed.

[TheFairyBlackstick]

If you want to ensure that you are never asked to do it again, chuck the empty tins or sachets in the bin. After a few days they will be crawling with maggots and your neighbour will return to a carpet of flies. I speak from experience.

[Sparklingbrook]

A neighbour's cat goes missing every time they go on holiday and the poor person doing the twice a day feeding is always a wreck.

[Choccyhobnob]

My MIL usually pops in to feed/change litter for our cat if we're away for a couple of days. A week or longer and the cat goes on holiday to MIL's house as she is one of the very few people our timid cat likes and she really craves attention so gets company at night that way.

Next week we're away for 4 days and MIL is unavailable so tonight I'm meeting my very first professional cat sitter which to me seems like a good option. Mentioned it to my colleagues and they all think it's hysterical and I'm some sort of neurotic cat lady?!

Sorry to derail the thread a bit there but at least the rest of you seem to agree that getting a pet sitter is a normal thing to do! lol

[NurNochKurzDieWeltRetten]

I was just chatting to the mum of the 9 yo who feeds and plays with our rabbits when we go on holiday - apparently she came over 3 times a day (the child - the mum came once a day with her - they only live a few doors down).

Your neighbor needs a cat living child cat sitter with a tolerant mum in the background :o